2010 Navajo Nation presidential election

The Navajo Nation presidential election of 2010 was held on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. Ben Shelly won the election.[1]

Navajo Nation presidential election, 2010
November 2, 2010
 
Nominee Ben Shelly Lynda Lovejoy
Primary election 7,715
16.02%		 17,399
36.13%
General election 33,734
52.50%		 30,520
47.50%
President before election

Joe Shirley, Jr.

 Elected President

Ben Shelly

Background
Presidential elections
Presidents and Vice Presidents

The general election was held between New Mexico State Senator Lynda Lovejoy and outgoing Navajo Nation Vice President Ben Shelly.

The primary election was held on August 3, 2010. Lynda Lovejoy received more primary election votes than any other presidential candidate, becoming the first woman to do so. Ben Shelly came in second place. The primary election included nine other candidates. This was the first Navajo Nation presidential election in which both candidates, Lovejoy and Shelly, were residents of the Eastern part of the Navajo Nation.[2]

Ben Shelly became the first Vice President of the Navajo Nation to be elected president.[3] Had she been elected, Lynda Lovejoy would have become the first female president of the Navajo Nation.[4]

Previously, during the 2006 presidential election Joe Shirley Jr. had been re-elected to a second term over challenger Lynda Lovejoy. On July 9, 2010, the Navajo Nation Supreme Court ruled that Shirley could not seek a third consecutive term as president.[5]

Candidates

General election
  • Lynda Lovejoy, of Crownpoint, New Mexico, New Mexico State Senator, District 22
    • Earl Tulley, chosen as Lovejoy's running mate for Vice President on August 8, 2010, activist and administrator.[6]

Announced and defeated in primary

Not Running

Term limited

Primary election

State Senator Lynda Lovejoy, who unsuccessfully sought the presidency in 2006, easily defeated eleven other candidates with 17,137 votes, becoming the first woman to win a Navajo Nation presidential primary.[2] Navajo Nation Vice President Ben Shelly came in second place and qualified for the general election with 7,763 votes. Donald Benally of Shiprock placed third followed by the rest of the candidates.[2]

Voter turnout was relatively low, at just 43.84% of registered voters.[2] An estimated 48,511 of the 110,645 registered voters participated in the primary election.[2]

Navajo Nation primary results [2]
Candidate Votes %
Lynda Lovejoy 17,137 35.7
Ben Shelly 7,763 16.2
Donald Benally 6,082 12.7
Rex Lee Jim 4,224 8.8
Sharon Clahchischilliage 3,139 6.5
Arbin Mitchell 2,809 5.8
D. Harrison Tsosie 2,718 5.7
Dale Tsosie 2,142 4.5
Daniel Peaches 749 1.6
Anthony Begay 620 1.3
Jerry Todacheenie 620 1.0
Write-in candidates 290 0.4
Total votes 48,511

Polling

Primary Election polling
Poll Source Dates Administered Lynda Lovejoy Ben Shelly
General Poll January 10, 2010 51% 49%
Poll Source Dates Administered Rex Lee Jim Lynda Lovejoy
General Poll January 10, 2010 45% 44%

Results

With 109 of the 110 chapters reporting, Ben Shelly was ahead of Linda Lovejoy with 52.7% vs. 47.3% of all counted votes. Shelly claimed victory and promised voters in the Gorman Hall at the Window Rock Sports Center that "I will work with you. We will work together." Lovejoy demanded a recount.[9]

References
  1. Donovan, Bill (2010-11-03). "Lovejoy landslide fails to appear". Navajo Times. Window Rock, Arizona. Retrieved 2018-10-10.
  2. Donovan, Bill (2010-08-05). "Lovejoy first, Shelly second". Navajo Times. Retrieved 2010-10-28.
  3. "UPDATED: Changes Pending as Navajo Nation President Sworn In". Albuquerque Journal. 2011-01-11. Retrieved 2018-10-10.
  4. Allen, Nick (2010-10-18). "Navajo poised to elect first woman as president". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2010-10-28.
  5. Begay, Jason (2010-07-09). "Navajo Nation Supreme Court ruled Shirley cannot run again until 2014". Navajo Times. Retrieved 2010-10-28.
  6. Donovan, Bill (2010-08-12). "Lovejoy picks activist, administrator". Navajo Times. Retrieved 2010-10-28.
  7. Donovan, Bill (2010-08-12). "Shelly picks experience, values". Navajo Times. Retrieved 2010-10-28.
  8. Tom, Arviso (2009-11-05). "Who will lead?". Navajo Times. Retrieved 2018-10-10.
  9. Navarro, Mireya (2010-11-03). "Woman Loses Bid to Lead Navajos". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-10-10.
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